Scott Hansen column: Get set to wait for 2014's most anticipated films

Bryan Cranston, left and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in a scene from 'Godzilla.'

The crop of films released so far this month has been less than appetizing, and while many like o throw around the phrase "It gets better," I'm here to tell you it doesn't. Not until April.

It's not that 2014 won't be full of great films eventually, or that exciting ones won't be coming out in the future. It's just that those of us who attend movies regularly will have to be patient. Perhaps more patient than in years past.

Whereas some recent blockbuster films have been released in March - like the "The Hunger Games" in 2012 and "Oz the Great and Powerful" last year - this year, audiences will have no such luck.

So, in order to pass the time between now and when movie releases really start humming, here is a list of my Top 10 most anticipated movies of 2014 in order of release date.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier - April 4

The final seconds of the first film set up the interesting premise of Captain America being in modern society and how he would react. We got a little teaser of what life is like now for the shield-wielding hero in "The Avengers," but not enough to really answer a lot of questions the conclusion of the first film left. Also, with Captain America's love interest from the first film out of the picture, where does the character go from here in terms of finding a significant other? While great action sequences can make any superhero memorable, it's the heart of the film that will determine whether it's more like the first one or more like "Iron Man 3."

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - May 2

Electro has long been my favorite Spider-Man villain, so I am thrilled to see what director Marc Webb does in the followup to the first film, which did a good job of establishing the realism the series would be geared toward. While it's starting to sound like it might be more like "Spider-Man 3," I'm hopeful that Harry Osbourne, played by the perfectly cast Dane DeHaan, will get a fair amount of screen time while the other rumored appearances by villains are meant to set up future films.

Godzilla - May 16

Not a whole lot is known about what this film will be like. That's what makes it so interesting. As long as it learned from the pitfalls of the 1998 "Godzilla" and doesn't turn into another "Cloverfield," it should be just fine. It's also exciting to think about the prospect of actress Elizabeth Olsen's abilities being exposed to mass audiences who likely missed her amazing performances in the independent films "Martha Macy May Marlene" and "Silent House."

X-Men: Days of Future Past - May 23

Bryan Singer - who directed the first two films in the franchise - is back as director. That should be pretty much all you need to know in order to see this as a potentially great film. Add in the fact that most of the cast from the first two will be interacting with the cast that admirably stepped up in the 2011 surprise hit "X-Men: First Class," and it becomes downright scary how great this film could be. That is, as long as it focuses on its commentary of discrimination and doesn't forget to have a great purpose like "X-Men: Last Stand" seemingly forgot to do.

Transformers: Age of Extinction - June 27

The Shia LaBeouf rendition of "Transformers" had clearly run its course when the credits rolled on the franchise's third film. That said, it's intriguing to think what Mark Wahlberg can do for the series. Perhaps his father character will bring director Michael Bay back to focusing on humanity more than product placement and explosions like the final two films did. "Transformers" worked because of how it dealt with the relateable issue of teen insecurities. This film, likely dealing with the topic of fatherhood, could work in a similar way.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - July 11

The bridge fight in the 2011 breakout hit "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was surprisingly great, and if the revealed footage from this film is any indication, the sequel could have that level of action and excitement, only on a larger scale. It doesn't hurt that it would appear Gary Oldman is the character that will be squaring off with Caesar, who if you recall escaped captivity at the end of the first film and presumably has trained his peers to be hostile toward the human race.

Interstellar - November 7

It's director Christopher Nolan's first post-Batman film. Enough said, thankfully, as details on the film are minimal at best.

Dumb and Dumber To - November 14

Allegedly, this sequel took so long to get to the big screen because of how much focus was being placed on making it funny and practically perfect. Here's to hoping that proves true. If it is, we could have another "Anchorman 2" on our hands. If not? Just another horrible comedy sequel.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 - November 21

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" ended abruptly, but the look Katniss Everdeen gives the audience in the film's final frame was downright chilling in conveying she meant business when it comes to rebelling against the Capitol. It seems that Katniss was just getting warmed up in the first two films, so the third is sure to be quite a treat.

The Hobbit: There and Back Again - December 17

Like "Hunger Games: Catching Fire," "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" ended abruptly, but it set up a pretty simple premise for the next film that hopefully director Peter Jackson can't screw up like he has with the first two Hobbit films - the dragon is loose, now what?

Scott Hansen is a sports reporter for the Sheboygan Press and occasional entertainment columnist for the Wausau Daily Herald who earned a Film Study minor from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.